Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling regenerative braking of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling regenerative braking of a vehicle that can control regenerative braking and discharge of a battery by estimating a regeneration and discharge energy amount based on information regarding a scheduled driving route.
Discussion of the Related Art
A hybrid vehicle may be driven by combining two or more different types of power sources efficiently. In other words, a hybrid vehicle has a power drive system that includes an engine and a motor and is driven by using both the combustion engine power and the electric power of a motor using electrical energy stored at a battery. To improve fuel consumption economy, vehicles using power generation control as well as hybrid vehicles use regenerative braking technology.
A regenerative braking system uses a portion of a braking force for power generation upon braking a vehicle. The braking force may be converted to electric energy and used to charge a battery, using a portion of the kinetic energy from the momentum of the vehicle as energy for driving a generator. Accordingly, a regenerative braking system is a system that simultaneously implements reduction of kinetic energy and generation of electrical energy. Such a regenerative braking system may increase a travel distance of a vehicle and therefore, fuel consumption may be improved and discharge of a noxious gas may be reduced.
A conventional method of controlling regenerative braking adjusts a power generation amount and a discharge amount based on a present driving state of a vehicle. However, since a conventional method and apparatus for controlling regenerative braking may not completely reflect a driving path of a vehicle, optimal charge and discharge control may be difficult to attain.
The above information disclosed in this background section is merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.